Rachel Amelia Troup

Rachel Amelia Troup was born on 16 December 1884 in Brooklyn, New York.^1,2 She was the daughter of Charles Robert Troup and Rachel Amelia Walpole.

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a family photograph taken about 1885. She became a member of the Katonah Methodist Church in 1893.³

In 1976, Rachel (Troup) Watkins made the following remarks in a taped interview: My father died evidently when I was two years old, and there were four of us. . . So then I started being drifted around from pillar to post. . . And my mother brought all those kids up in Brooklyn, because my father used to have the estate of. . . Pirie. Well anyway, she came up with all those kids to the farm to stay for a while to get adjusted, and my father died like before Christmas, and she was only there a week, when her mother died. And that left Grandpa Walpole. . . in my childhood days I lived in Katonah with Doctor and Mrs. Chapman. . . I had a cousin by the name of Lil Adams and she worked with the Chapmans. You see, in olden days they never had servants, they were just part of the family. And she lived there with the Chapmans, and they sort of took a notion to me, and so I went there and lived all the time I was young. . . Mrs. Chapman died. And then Dr. Chapman had a niece in Boston, and her parents died, so she came and lived with Dr. Chapman, and of course that sort of blew my bubble. You see, they wanted to adopt me. Dr. Chapman had two sons, Charles Chapman, Burt, and the one, Burt Chapman, put up such an argument, he didn't want me to be adopted, so they sort of didn't adopt me - otherwise I'd be a Chapman. But, anyway, then when Mrs. Chapman died then Dr. Chapman went down to Mount Kisco to live with his son, and I came to White Plains with Eva.⁴

Dr. James Francis Chapman was born 23 July 1844 at East Pepperell, Massachusetts. He was in the Union army during the Civil War. He began medical studies in 1865 under Dr. Seth Shove. On 10 October 1866 he married Dr. Shove's daughter Irene. After his graduation in 1869 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, he joined Dr. Shove's practice in Katonah. Dr. Shove died in 1878, and Dr. Chapman continued in active practice with a speciality in eye and ear medicine. Irene had studied medicine at the Women's Medical College in New York, and assisted her husband in his practice including the delivery of babies. Dr. Chapman was prominent in the Westchester County Medical Society, the local Presbyterian church, and the Republican party. Their house was moved in 1898 from Old Katonah to 22 The Terrace in the relocated village. Irene Chapman died in 1906. Children: (1) Charles Francis Chapman (1868-1933), also a physician (at first with his father, later in Mount Kisco), married Ella J. Whitlock, no children. (2) Herbert Shove Chapman (1871-1946), in insurance in New York City.^5,6

Rachel Amelia Troup appeared on the census of 1 June 1905 at The Terrace, Katonah, Westchester County, New York, in the household of Dr. J. Francis Chapman, where she was recorded as a guest.⁷

In November 1907, she undertook to do shopping in New York City for local residents.^8,9

Rachel Amelia Troup appeared on the census of 27 April 1910 at The Terrace, Katonah, Westchester County, New York, in the household of J. Francis Chapman, where she was recorded as his ward, with no occupation recorded. Also in the household was Dr. Chapman's niece, Bertha M. Lawrence, age 31, and two servants.¹⁰

An item in a Katonah newspaper, 18 April 1913, said "As a result of Dr. J. F. Chapman's leaving Katonah Miss Rachel Troup will in the future reside at the home of Dr. F. H. Williams".¹¹

Rachel Amelia Troup appeared on the census of 1 June 1915 at Bedford Road, Katonah, Westchester County, New York, in the household of Frederick H. Williams, a dentist, where she was recorded as a dental assistant.¹²

An item in a Katonah newspaper, 23 November 1917, said "Miss Ray Troupe will enter on December 1st the Greenwich Hospital where she will take a course of training for a nurse."¹³

Rachel Amelia Troup was employed for thirty years at Genung's Department Store in White Plains.^14,4 (An advertisement in a 1941 issue of the White Plains Reporter Dispatch showed Genung's at 24 Mamaroneck Avenue.)¹⁵ Her niece Gladys (Troup) Stickler described her as a hustler as a sales lady, a very good competitor while working at Genung's on commission.¹⁶

Rachel Amelia Troup appeared on the census of June 1925 at 23 Bank Street, White Plains, Westchester County, New York, in the household of her mother.¹⁷

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a group photograph of unknown date.

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a photograph of a family picnic taken possibly about 1930.

Rachel Amelia Troup appeared on the census of 2 April 1930 at 135 South Lexington Avenue, White Plains, Westchester County, New York, in the household of her mother, where she is recorded as a saleslady in a dry goods store.¹⁸

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a family photo taken 5 July 1936 at Harry and Mary Mayne's beach house in Morningside, Milford, Connecticut.

Rachel Amelia Troup married first Walter Church in 1937 at 43 Edgemont Road, Katonah, Westchester County, New York.^15,14 Walter Church had lost his wife, who was a first cousin of Rachel's on her mother's side.¹⁹ (This could not have been Lil Adams, since according to F. K. DeVoe, Lil never married.) Rachel Amelia Troup and Walter Church resided in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York.^14,15 At some time not long before 1 October 1947, and after Walter had died, the property was sold and a small chicken coop there was reassembled by Kenneth DeVoe in the DeVoe back yard.²⁰

Rachel Amelia Troup appeared on the census of 1940 at Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, in the household of her husband.²¹

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a family photograph taken at some time between 1937 and 1942.

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a family photograph taken probably in summer 1943.

Rachel Amelia Troup appears in a photograph of a family picnic at 36 Davis Avenue, White Plains, New York, probably in summer (4 July?) 1944.

Rachel Amelia Troup married secondly Alfred T. Watkins. In an interview taped in December 1976, Rachel explained I had known [Alfred Watkins] by coming in the store [Genung's]. . . And he and his wife used to come in, and I'd wait on her, you know. And then she belonged to the same church I did, and I knew her quite well, she's a very lovely woman. And then she died, and then I don't know, some night the telephone rang and it was Alfred Watkins and he wanted to know he'd take me out for a ride - so we went for a ride (laughs), and he needed a home, and I needed a home, and he was very kind, and I had a good life with him. We got along beautifully.⁴ Rachel Amelia Troup and Alfred T. Watkins lived in 39 Upland Avenue, White Plains, Westchester County, New York.¹⁵ After Alfred Watkin's death in 1962, Rachel continued to live at 39 Upland Avenue. In later years, before she moved to the nursing home, a housekeeper Pauline lived there with her.^15,19

Rachel Amelia Troup lived at the Miller Nursing Home, 37 DeKalb Avenue, White Plains, Westchester County, New York, from 1971 until her death.^14,15 She celebrated her one-hundredth birthday the day before her actual birthday, on 15 December 1984 at the Miller Nursing Home, White Plains, Westchester County, New York.^14,22

Rachel Amelia Troup died on 17 January 1986 at White Plains Hospital, White Plains, Westchester County, New York, of pneumonia, at age 101 years, 1 month, and 1 day.²³ She was buried on 21 January 1986 in lot 1350 (Walpole plot), Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, Westchester County, New York.^24,25,26